Losing Grip
by anneryn7
Summary: AU. Derek/Bonnie. "Are you sure you're okay doing this?" Derek asked me. "I have to face Damon some time, Derek. It may as well be today. I have to pick up the kids, anyway." I sighed. I'm never ready to face my ex-husband. "If he gives you any unnecessary trouble, just tell me and I'll handle it. I'm not going to let him bully my beautiful fiancé." He promised me.


**A/N: Alright everyone, this is my first attempt at a Derek/Bonnie story. Please, be kind. I have two more one-shots for this ship plotted out. It's just a matter of time and finishing other things, so I can get them written. Hope you enjoy it.**

**Xo,  
>Anneryn<strong>

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><p><strong>I DO NOT OWN <strong>_**TEEN WOLF**_**, **_**THE VAMPIRE DIARIES**_** OR THE CHARACTERS.**

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><p>Derek placed his hand on the small of my back and gave me a reassuring look. I gave him a sad smile and raked a hand through my hair. I'm not ready for this and I doubt that I'll ever be ready for this. I took a deep breath and exhaled.<p>

"Are you sure you're okay doing this?" Derek asked me. I shook my head.

"I have to face him some time, Derek. It may as well be today. I have to pick up the kids, anyway. I just… I have this feeling, like he's going to gloat. You know? He took his sweet time giving me the divorce that he decided he wanted. I'm just so tired of Damon's games. It never ends with him." I sighed and let out a shaky breath.

"Hey, come here." He pulled me into his embrace and hugged me, before placing a soft kiss on the top of my head. "You don't have to worry about him, anymore. If he gives you any unnecessary trouble, just tell me and I'll handle it. I'm not going to just sit by and watch him play his power trip. I'm not going to let him bully my beautiful fiancé." He promised me. I looked up and smiled at him. I couldn't help myself.

"Say it again." I told him.

"Which part?" He asked me, pretending not to know. His eyes gave him away.

"You know which part." I countered. He smiled.

"My beautiful fiancé," he repeated. My heart swelled.

"It feels so good to know that it's official now. I've been ready to call you my husband for the past two years." I sighed, happily.

I've known Derek for at least the last ten years. We've always been friends, much to Damon's dismay. He didn't approve of me having male friends. He's always been possessive, but I never knew just how bad he was, until we were already married and we had one kid already and one on the way. Four years ago, Damon started to get distant and I had a feeling in my gut that something was going on. I let it go, because he never gave me any solid reasons to suspect anything.

Less than a year after that, he began to slip up. He wouldn't touch me and he stayed out all night. He'd come home and smell like perfume. He was defensive and always turned things around on me. On top of that, he had the audacity to accuse me of cheating. I never even looked at another man that way. I was too busy raising our children. Thankfully, he always made time for our children, when he wasn't working. If there was one thing he was good at, it's being a father.

A little over three years ago, he told me that he didn't want me anymore. He said that he was tired of hiding the fact that being monogamous was killing him, like I didn't know he was dicking around on me. Please. He told me to get out of our home. I told him that if I left, I would be taking the kids with me. He growled and threw one of our wedding pictures at the wall, narrowly missing me. I packed what I could and took the kids. We stayed with my best friend and their godmother, Caroline. She had the space in the house she shared with her husband, Klaus.

Even though he's a glorified jackass, Damon isn't heartless. He gave me enough money to pay my expenses and the bills for the kids. He wouldn't let his family go without, separated or not. It didn't take long, until we were legally separated. I got a part time job, but stayed living with the Mikaelsons. I insisted on paying them something weekly to help with food and everything. I know that financially they didn't need it, but I wasn't about to be a burden. Caroline offered to help with the kids, since she worked from home and her sister in-law Rebekah helped out, too.

Before long, my part time job turned into a full time job. I had been hired as an employee at a bookstore and coffeehouse. The owner wanted more time away and he needed someone to run the place. After a few months, he offered me the manager position. I jumped on it, even though I hated being away from my kids. It was nice being able to work again. It felt good.

Even though we had lost touch for a while, I ran into Derek. He ran the tattoo parlor next door to the bookstore. His family comes from money, so he didn't need to work, but he still did pretty well for himself. To say that he's talented is probably the understatement of the century. I bumped into him right after I took over as manager. We grabbed a coffee and we caught up in each other's lives. He came home with me and stayed for dinner and got to see just how big the kids had gotten and how much they had grown up. Caroline and Rebekah spent the entire meal not so subtly hinting that we should go on a date. Klaus did what he could to change the subject, but once Caroline gets her mind on something, there's no dissuading her.

We started dating a couple weeks after that. We took things slowly, more slowly than most guys would be comfortable with and it was nice. It was good to feel wanted and to be with someone who really cared about me, not only me, but my kids, too.

I told Damon that I didn't want to get back together and that I was tired of him dragging this out. He laughed and told me that he did what he wanted, when he wanted and I was lucky that he still saw the kids. Like, that's such a blessing?! Trying to talk to him about anything was like trying to pull teeth. Once he found out that I was dating a Hale, he lost it. He tried to forbid me and it was my turn to laugh. I mean, really? We were separated. He lost the right to talk to me about dating, when he cheated and then threw our marriage out the window.

The kids love Derek and seeing him with them… you wouldn't know that he wasn't their father, by the way they acted. He treats them like they're his own. It's a beautiful thing to see – it truly is. It warms my heart. I was worried about how the separation would affect them, more than anything.

"You can do this." Derek assured me. I smiled weakly and nodded. He pulled me from my thoughts. Really, after that first year that Damon and I split, not much has changed. The kids have gotten older and my relationship with Derek has gotten more serious. I knew that if Damon let him, he would adopt the kids, too. I don't want to start any unnecessary fights and even though he's nasty to me, Damon's still great with our children. I couldn't take them away from him. I wouldn't be able to live with myself.

"Let's get this over with." I sighed. Derek kissed me and laced our fingers together. I let him lead me out of his house and we went over to Damon's.

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><p>"Well, isn't this a pleasant surprise?" Damon asked sarcastically, with a tight smile. I crossed my arms over my chest and looked at him expectantly. Damon looked over my shoulder and eyed Derek. He was leaning against his car watching us. I'm definitely not complaining. I feel better knowing that he's here with me. "Why don't you come in, Ex-wife of mine?" Damon moved out of the way and I stepped inside. He closed the door behind me and I followed him into the living room. He poured himself a glass of bourbon and he eyed me hungrily. It's an expression I haven't seen on him in a long time. I shifted uncomfortably.<p>

"Where are the kids?" I asked him. He just smirked and finished his drink.

"Sheila has to finish packing." He told me. I nodded. "Christopher wanted to help her." He shrugged in a 'kids-what-can-ya-do?' kind of way.

"They're attached at the hip." I laughed. He smiled and nodded.

"I've missed you, Bonnie. You look good. The years have been good to you." He said, moving closer to me. I sighed and fixed him with a quizzical glare.

"Then maybe you should have kept your dick in your pants, Damon. You gave up the right to miss me. You handled everything in the worst possible way, but really, I should thank you. I've never been this happy in my life." I snapped at him. Instead of looking insulted, he looked intrigued – turned on – even.

"Really? Derek makes you happy? You can be as happy as you want, but he'll never be a father to those kids!" Damon growled. I took a step towards him.

"He'll be their stepfather in a month, actually. And yes. He does. He makes me very happy. He treats me like I deserve to be treated, Damon. That's something I rarely got from you. When he loves, it's not selfish and consuming, not like you." I couldn't help the last dig I threw in. I wanted him to hurt, like he'd hurt me. Damon's a lot of things, but I loved him. I still do. I'm just not in love with him and I'm not willing to forgive his faults, not anymore.

"You used to like being consumed." Damon breathed, as he placed his hands on my waist. I glared at him and brushed his hands off of me.

"You don't get to touch me, Damon." I hissed. He smirked.

"I forgot how much fighting with you turned me on. It always was the best kind of foreplay for us. Wasn't it?" He practically sang.

"You're despicable."

"You're delusional, if you think that I'll actually let you marry him. He's a werewolf, Bonnie." He said in disdain. I shrugged.

"I wouldn't care if he was the fucking tooth fairy, Damon! He's a good man! He would never hurt me or our children, if that's what you're implying."

"How do you know that?! I'm not taking the chance! You're a Salvatore, damn it!" He yelled.

"Keep your voice down." I hissed. "The kids are upstairs and they don't need to hear you talking like that." My resolve snapped. "I've never been a Salvatore, Damon. I never took your name, neither did the children." I reminded him. He was livid when I refused, especially with the kids. "We are Bennetts." I added. They are. Our children seem to be exceptions. They're hybrids and are still able to wield magic. They have Bennett magic in their blood.

"And Derek is okay with you not taking his name?" Damon asked incredulously. I nodded.

"Yes, I am." Derek said from the doorway of the house. "Is everything alright? I heard yelling." He finished, eyeing me. I nodded.

"I'm fine, Derek. I'm just waiting on the kids to get their things together." I told him. He didn't look convinced.

"Why don't you come in Derek?" Damon growled. Derek didn't look fazed. He walked over to us and put his arm around me. Even if Damon wanted to, he can't do anything. If Derek bit him, he would die. Klaus wouldn't volunteer his blood, because he's not any happier with Damon, than I am. Klaus loves our kids just as much as Caroline does.

"Bonnie, can you go check on the kids? I want to have a minute alone with Damon to talk." Derek asked me, calmly. I nodded. I gave him a kiss on the cheek, before going upstairs to get the kids. "I'm not deluded enough to think that you're going anywhere anytime soon, Damon. You're the father of Bonnie's children and I would like us to be able to be civil to each other. With that being said, I won't tolerate you talking down to Bonnie in any kind of way. You've put her through more than enough." Derek's voice carried up the stairs.

"And what are you going to do about it? I don't take threats from anyone, Hale." Damon growled.

"Use your imagination, Damon. I'm not someone you want as an enemy in this town. You already have more than enough. More people love my fiancé, than tolerate you. Remember that." Derek countered. I reached Sheila's room and walked inside. She looked over at me and smiled.

"Mommy! You're here! Did Derek come, too?!" She asked me, jumping into my arms. I broke into a grin and hugged her. I kissed her forehead, before putting her down and kissing Christopher.

"Yes, he's downstairs waiting for us. Are you ready to go?" I asked them. They nodded and grabbed their bags. Sheila carried her smallest bag and spelled the rest to follow behind her. Christopher did the same. It still amazes me how powerful they are for being so young. We were downstairs in no time. They dropped their bags and ran over to hug Derek. He smiled and wrapped them both in a hug.

"Go say goodbye to your father. You'll see him next week." I told them, gently. They nodded and raced over to Damon. He smiled and I got to see the softer side of Damon that he hides away from everyone, but them.

"Be good for your mom, okay? I know she's not as cool or as fun as me, but it's important that you listen to your mother. I better not hear about either of you misbehaving. Am I clear?" He asked them both, seriously.

"Yes, Daddy," Sheila answered.

"I pwomise," Christopher agreed. Damon smiled and hugged them both again and kissed both of their foreheads.

"I love you, both. I'll see you next week." Damon walked them over to us and helped carry their bags out to Derek's car. We loaded everything up and got both of the kids in their car seats. "I'll try." Damon told Derek. Derek nodded.

"That's all I'm asking." Derek told him, offering his hand. Damon shook it and Derek got into the driver's seat.

"I'm not happy about you and wolf-man over there, but I'll try not to make things any harder on you." Damon said, resolutely. I smiled.

"Thank you, Damon." I gave him a hug, despite my better judgment. It took him a second to hug me back.

"Take care, Bon." He said, pulling away.

"You too, Damon," I told him, before getting into the car. We drove home and it finally felt like things were beginning to fall into place.

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><p>"Are you okay?" Derek asked me, after we finished putting the kids to bed. I nodded.<p>

"It feels like for the first time in a long time, I am." I admitted. He smiled and pulled me onto his lap. I wrapped my arms around him and brought my lips to his.

"I love you, Bonnie Bennett." He promised, as he kissed me again. I felt my stomach flutter and my heart warm.

"I love you, Derek Hale, future husband of mine." I whispered. I think that we're all going to be okay, after all.

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><p><strong>AN: Love it? Hate it? Review?**


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